Game and game apparatus



R. R. VENiSEL 2,339,209 GAME AND GAME APPARATUS Filed April 25, 1941 Jan. 11, 1944.

'IVNYENTOR' fi/chara R 'Vens e/ I 754 49, MPMa the objective. different sizes or otherwise of different vulner- Patented Jan. 11, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. 2,339.209' GAME GAME APPARATUS Richard R. Vensel, Brookside Farms, Pa. Application April 25, 1941, Serial No. 390,307 4 Claims. (01. 273-95) This invention is for an improvement in games, and is for a game and game apparatus of the type wherein a game pieceis dropped from an elevation toward a goal or objective.

The present invention may be embodied in various ways to provide a game of skill in which the fascinating phenomenon of magnetism is employed in a novel and entertaining manner and which may provide amusement for persons of widely different ages. It may be played by young children or adults and requires no complicated instructions. Furthermore, the invention may be embodied in a very simple, cheaply constructed form capable of being cheaply sold and readily carried about. I

According to my invention a pan or playing board of convenient area is provided with one or more targets or objectives. Supported in fixed relation above the playing board at a height of several inches is means .for holding or supporting a movable magnet, a permanent bar magnet being quite satisfactory. This magnet holds in suspension a magnetic pellet or game piece. The magnet is moved about horizontally over the playing board from a starting position to a position over the objective or target. The player endeavors to manipulate and guide the magnet so that the pellet may be dropped on or into By having several objectives of ability, various game points may bescoredby opposing players, thus creating rivalry and scoring objectives that stimulate interest in the game.

' The invention may be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a very simple embodiment of the invention and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the game apparatus;

Figure 2- is a longitudinal section through one end of the apparatus, only the lower part thereof being shown, the view being on a larger scale than Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2 of a modified form of cup; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view on a larger scale than Figure l of a portion of the screen.

In the drawing, 2 designates a pan, preferably of rectangular shape, formed of sheet metal. It

is of a convenient size for handling and packaging, and has an upstanding flange 3 about its periphery. In the form shown, the pan is divided into end zones 4 and 5 and a mid-zone 6. These may be attractively and appropriately lithographed or colored to conform to the character of the game being played. In the particular illustration which I describe as one embodiment of my invention, the game is a military game simulating the dropping of aerial bombs and the end zones are the objective areas of the opposing players while the mid-zone is designated the ocean. For the purpose of clearly delineating the zones and retaining playingpieces in the zones, transverse wires 1 of small diameter are 7 secured in the pan and which provide shallow partitions.

In each corner of the'pan is a socket 8 .to removably receive a supporting post 9. The tops of the supporting post 9 are removably received in depending sockets Ill on the corners of a frame ll. This frame supports a ceiling" in the form of a sheet of magnetically permeable material and which is preferably transparent. Whilethe ceiling may be of transparent plastic, it prefer-.- ably comprises a piece'of1ordinary-copper fly screen I2 held taut by the supporting frame I. Q

To complete the game apparatus, there is pro vided a movable bar magnet .l3 capableof being' moved about over the top of the screen or ceiling by the hand of the operator and one or more pellets or bombs, M of magnetic materiaL'as for example copper 'coated steelv balls. In eachof the end zones 4 and 5 are .oneor more small cups or objectives l5, preferably ofdifferent sizes.

They may be separate pieces that canbe moved about from time to time between intervals ,of playing or, as shown in Figure 3 they maybe metal bands l5 permanently secured in place.

In playing the game, each of two players chooses an end of the gamewhich is his home territory and the opposite 'end zoneis-the enemy territory or the home territory of .theother player. One player then takes the magnet in one hand, presses one end of its against the top surface of the screen near the margin over his home territory. With the other hand he brings a ball or pellet against the under surface of the screen under the pole of the magnet so that the ball will be held in suspension by the magnet and lets go of the ball with his hand. Then he moves the magnet over the screen, being careful to keep the magnet against the screen, and the ball below the screen will follow the magnet. The operation must be done with care, or the pellet will be released and dropped prematurely. The player endeavors to move the ball from over his own territory, over the ocean and to a position over a target or objective l5 in the enemy territory. When he believes the ball or bomb is over a chosen objective, he lifts the magnet, breaking the attraction between the magnet and the ball, and the ball falls by gravity. If the aim is good, the ball will land in the objective. By making the objectives of different size or vulnerability, a greater number of points may be earned for the targets which are more difiicult to hit or destroy. After one player has had a turn, the other player is given his turn and the playing alternates until each player has dropped an allotted number of bombs.

In playing the particular military gam described, it is contemplated that if a player prematurely releases a bomb over his home territory, it will score for the opponent the same as if the bomb had been dropped by the opponent. A'less-v er number of points is awarded the opponent if the bomb is prematurely dropped in the midzon or ocean. A bomb dropped anywhere in enemy territory scores a given number of points for the player, and a greater number of points if an objective is destroyed. The transverse wires 1 confine the balls to the territory into which they drop, so that they may not roll from one zone to another. By having the objectives movable, their position may be rearranged between plays to prevent a player from spotting a target by reason of a mark or identification on the ceiling or screen.

A. wire'clothscreen, such as fly-screen, is very desirable as a ceiling because it is transparent, and because the crossing of the woven wires makes the bomb or ball jump or wobble as it moves along in contact with the screen, adding an element of suspense and making it more difficult to move the bomb without its being prematurely dropped. Barriers may be formed by depressing areas of the screen as at l2 in Figure 4, or otherwise to increase the separation between the ball and the magnet and thus increase the hazard of prematurely releasing the projectile and thus making certain areas more difiicult to approach than others. Various other modifications and uncertainties may be intro duced.

, Instead of having military objectives, obvious- Iy otherdesignations and rules'may be used simulating, for example, golf, where the number of balls dropped before one is put in the cup would be the number of strokes; or simulated basketball, or other games canbe playeoL'and the board and playing pieces can be appropriately designed and colored for such other play. The apparatus may be easily-taken apart by removal ofthe supporting posts 9, so that it may be compactly packaged and shipped.

While I have illustrated and described one embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that this is only by way of illustration and various modifications and changes are contemplated in the construction of the game within the contemplation of the invention and under the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A game comprising a, magnetic pellet, a movable magnet for holding the pellet in suspension, a meshed wire screen intervening between the magnet and the pellet over which the magnet is movable forrestraining the pellet against upward movement, and means for supporting the screen at a predetermined elevation above the area over which the game is to be played.

2'. Game apparatus comprising a portable gameboard having a playing area divided into zones with a plurality of target elements on certain zones thereof, ceiling-forming means comprising a wovenwire screen supported in fixed position over the board, a magnet movable over the top of the ceiling-forming means, and a magnetic pellet adapted to be releasably held against the under-surface of saidceiling by the magnet.

3. The herein-described game comprising in combination, a portable gameboard having a playing area with a plurality of freely movable targets slidably supported on the surface thereof, a magnetically permeable sheet having a rough surface on at least one side thereof substantially coextensive with the playing area, supported abovesaid area and in spaced relation thereto, a magnetic pellet, and a permanent magnet free- 1y movable with respect to said sheet for releasably holding the pellet against the underside of the said sheet, said playing area being divided into zones, with a plurality of. targets in certain zones, and shallow partitions separating the several zones.

- 4. The herein-described game comprising in combination, a, portable gameboard having aplaying area with a plurality of freely movable targets slidably supported on the surface thereof, a magnetically permeable sheet having a rough surface on atleast one side thereof ubstantial. 1y coextensive with the playing area, supported abovev saidarea and in spaced relation thereto, a magnetic pellet, and a permanent magnet freely movable with respect to: said sheet for releasably holding the pellet against the underside of the said sheet, said playing area being divided into zones, the zones at;v opposite ends of said playing areacontaining targets and each simulating home territory of opposing players, said target containing zones being separated by a neutral zone, the targets in each target containing zone being of different sizes;

RICHARD R. .VENSEL. 

